The Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t get the tight end that they were hoping to get in the second round in Minnesota’s Maxx Williams, but they got around to adding depth at the position in the fifth round by selecting Penn State tight end Jesse James.
James, who was in for a visit during the offseason, caught 38 passes for 396 yards and three touchdowns last season for the Nittany Lions. He declared for the draft after his junior season, finishing with 78 receptions for 1,005 yards and 11 touchdowns.
The Steelers needed to invest in a younger tight end as Heath Miller isn’t getting any younger.
Miller caught 66 passes for 761 yards and three touchdowns and still remains one of the top blocking tight ends in the league. But he has been in the league for a decade plus now and has only two years remaining of a three-year contract he signed in 2013.
It can never hurt to add another weapon to an already potent offense and the Steelers have done that with the selections of James and Auburn wide receiver Sammie Coates in the third round on Friday.
James is a big target, standing 6-foot-7 and was named honorable mention All-Big Ten last season.
He has some speed and was pretty effective working the seam in college. His height also could lead him to becoming a big red zone threat in the NFL.
On the negative side, James is just a so-so run blocker and not a great route runner as he struggles to get separation off the line of scrimmage.
At the end of the day though, James is far from a finished product and while he may not make much of an impact in the short term, with some grooming he has the skill set to become an effective weapon within time.
Photo Credit: USA Today Sports
